Planting the seeds for Ash and Pine Street intersection upgrade on Bruce Highway

Media Release

DC359/2017

15 November 2017

Federal funding of more than $4 million approved for the Ash and Pine Street Intersection Upgrade, to include new slip and turning lanes

Project set to improve safety and travel reliability on the Bruce Highway west of Innisfail

Ongoing works to improve safety along the Bruce Highway continue to be rolled out with the Australian Government approving funding to deliver the new Ash and Pine Street Intersection west of Innisfail.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the project was part of the $8.5 billion 10-year program to upgrade the Bruce Highway in partnership with the Queensland Government.

“We are working hard to fund and build a safer, more efficient Bruce Highway to support the freight transport network in Queensland and reduce the national road toll,” Mr Chester said.

“Upgrading the intersections of Ash Street and Pine Street with the Bruce Highway will improve safety, reliability and capacity for all types of road users, including cyclists, tourists, local cane farmers, B-Double road trains and the freight industry. This is the sort of investment that saves lives.”

The project will involve

pavement widening and rehabilitation,

a reconfigured intersection design at Ash Street

a new left-turn slip lane and right-turn lane onto the Bruce Highway at Ash Street

new signals and right-hand turn and left-turn slip lanes at the intersection of Blackwood Street and the Bruce Highway

new right-turn lanes from each direction at the Pine Street/Bruce Highway intersection

Construction on the project is expected to start in early 2018 with completion expected in late 2018, weather permitting.

The Australian Government has committed up to $4.19 million and the Queensland Government $1.04 million to fund the Ash and Pine River Street Intersection Upgrade.